Dredging with precision – As the largest of its type in the UK, the CAT 375 is being used for maintenance dredging operations on the River Thames to ensure deep water is available at the Calor Gas berthing facility. Working for GPS Marine, the long reach excavator is fitted with an electronic dig system linked to a satellite based on-board GPS to enable the underwater excavation to be monitored in real time. Their vessel, the Arnaud Regis has been fitted with extended spudlegs to work in the 20m deep tidal Thames estuary.

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Work on the redevelopment of the busy Port of Felixstowe is well underway by Costain, with extensive marine work in progress. WM Plant Hire is using the 95 tonne CAT 375 and the 60 tonne CAT 345 long reach machines to remove demolition material and underwater obstructions and keep the deepwater channels clear for freight movements. A grapple attachment is being used for lifting the concrete and steel some 13 metres underwater.

A recent flooding event has deposited gravel and other debris in the channel of the River Severn at Shrewsbury. Working for Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council, a ‘walking excavator’ was used due to the material being out of reach from the river bank. This specialist machine is the largest of its type in the country and the tiltrotator was able to re-profile the channel with ease. A safety boat was used to monitor the works and survey the river bed.

WM Plant Hire are currently providing two long reach machines for the 2012 Olympics on the construction of Prescott Lock and the widening of the channel. Following our recent uncovering of the UXB in the river, further ordnance surveys have been carried out and work is progressing on both sides. The piling and the demolition of the concrete channel profile is well underway, with the steelwork erected for the new lock gate control room.

Ongoing lagoon maintenance is relying on the 60 tonne CAT 345 long reach in removing heavy sediments washed down from the quarry processing plant. The large volume of material is being moved in 40t ADTs and requires the high productivity of the CAT 345 fitted with a 1.5m3 bucket. Wide (LGP) tracks minimise the ground pressure placed on the lagoon sides to satisfy the safety criteria for lagoon operations.

A massive rail embankment stabilisation scheme is now underway near Chipping Sodbury by Carillion, following a recent slip that closed part of the line earlier this year. WM Plant Hire are providing 3 long reach excavators including the 45 tonne CAT 330 and 65 tonne CAT 345 with 24m reach. Vertical drains are being installed into the newly profiled embankment.

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A World War II bomb was dug up on 2 June during the construction of the Prescott Lock, the canal gateway to the new Olympic Park.  WM Plant Hire’s CAT 345 long reach machine pulled the 2000 pound bomb out the River Lea during routine re-profiling works to the river channel.  The site was evacuated and the army took control of the site until the bomb was detonated on 6 June.  This was one of the largest bombs found since the war and the explosion filmed was with only 10% of the explosive power remaining!  

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Two long reach excavators are being used on a rail embankment project in Somerset, with an innovative milling attachment to profile the loose rock face.  Working from the top of the slope, the loose rock is removed and re-profiled by a rotating rock wheel.  The second machine removes the material and assists the roped access team to remove loose fragments.  The rock face is finished using a topsoil mattress and netting, fixed using rock drills.

The 22m reach Volvo machine is working next to Snow Hill station in Birmingham removing arisings from a deep basement excavation.  This deep hole will comprise parking for the multi storey development above and has been constructed with a contiguous piled concrete wall.  This application is a fine example of the capability of our long reach excavators with upgraded hydraulics for lifting power.

During the heavy rain leading to last Summer's floods, the historic Severn Valley Railway was badly affected by landslips along the Bridgnorth to Bewdley line. Reconstruction of the rail embankments was carried out using a 22m reach machine, building gabion baskets and re-profiling the slopes adjacent to the River Severn.  Work is on track to have the line reopened for the Easter weekend.

The construction of the new St Germans pumping station near Kings Lynn is well underway, with the massive temporary cofferdam nearing completion.  Costain are using 3 long reach machines, with the sheet piled cofferdam being excavated in 'cells' to a depth of almost 20m and backfilled with a structural fill.  This is heavy duty work requiring the larger machines up to 90 tonnes.  Dewatering operations will soon start in readiness for the CFA piling and base slabs.

At the Olympic site in east London, works are progressing well at Prescott Channel to install a lock structure to the River Lea and re-profile the concrete channel.  The 60 tonne CAT 345 long reach with a heavy breaker is being used to break up the concrete sections and extract the steel piles beneath.  Key challenges include the high tidal range and the detailed environmental considerations in this very sensitive location.